Elmina Things to Do

Elmina Castle is a beautiful castle on the coastline of Elmina. It is more popular than the larger Cape Coast castle, and is a must for travellers to Ghana. Elmina castle was built in 1482 as Sao Jorge da Mina Castle (St.George of the Mine). It was built in a small fishing village. The castle is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The entrance is 10...

Cape Coast Castle is one of biggest and most important towns of Ghana..good for shoppingCape Coast Castle is a fortification in Ghana. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 for the Swedish Africa Company and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone.In April 1663 the whole Swedish Gold...

beside elmina castle the most important slavery castle in west africa, visited also recently by obamaeven simular to elmina in the history and in the building they differ from each otheryou should visit both and listen to the sad history of the slavery timeCape Coast's main attraction is the stunning Cape Coast Castle, a World Heritage site that...

beside the famous elmina castle it is also worth to visit elmina town, its beach and fort coenraaedsburgElmina, is a town in the Central Region, situated on a south-facing bay on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, about 12 km west of Cape Coast. The first European settlement in West Africa, it now has a population of around 20,000 people.The town...

do not miss the most famous and most fascinating sightseeing of ghana and whole africathe kakuum skywalkThe Kakum forest turns more to a kind of of a jungle experience. The canopy walkway is up to 30 m above the forest floor and within sight of the tallest tree of the forest where elephants can sometimes be seen scrounging for fallen fruit. There...

One of the best preserved buildings in Ghana is St. George's Castle (or Elmina Castle) in Elmina. It used to be one of the many slave forts at the former Gold Coast, mainly used by the Dutch.The fort was originally built in 1482, when the Portuguese first set foot on Ghanaian land. The building they made was strategically situated on top of rocks,...

Before the Dutch beated the Portuguese in Elmina, they already attacked them twice from the sea. Twice, they were defeated. In 1637 however, they attacked them from the inland, with the help of the local chief. From St. Jago hill, in the heart of today's Elmina, they opened fire on the Portuguese who were too surprised to react. When the Dutch had...

In 1637, the Dutch dragged a cannon to the top of San Jago Hill and bombarded St George’s Castle, then in the hands of the Portuguese. Realising the strategic position of the hill, and wanting to protect their newly acquired castle, the Dutch built a fort atop the hill for defense. Also known as Santiago or St James’ Fort.

Dubbed the Door of No Return as this was where the ‘freedom fighters’ and rebels would spend their last days. Kept in extremely cramped conditions, with minimal ventilation and no light, the mutineers would be starved to death. The Door of No Return.

The final exit to their ‘new life’ was deliberately kept narrow and low, to stop slaves from thronging together and making a dash for freedom. As there is no harbour in Elmina, the slaves were taken by canoes to waiting ships for the long and arduous journey to the New World.

The large dungeon was used for transitting the slaves from their penitentiary confinement to the exit door. There were no lights, the dungeons took twists and turns, and the doorways were deliberately kept low in order to disorientate the slaves.

The women were herded out into the courtyard, in order to picked by their male captor for sexual favours – rape in other words. If they refused, they were chained to this cannon ball and left exposed to the elements, the rain and/or the baking sun, for several days without food, drink or sanitation.

The women were separated from the men and about 150 women were kept to each room for up to six weeks. Like their male counterparts, they were given little and poor food, had no facilities and poor sanitation. The first picture shows the original iron bars and the second one the original floor constructed by the Portuguese.

Enapa Fie was sold out of food when I came to eat. They had only beers left. A strange restaurant with employees who just walked around doing nothing. The second floor was packed with locals in the nights who watched english football on satelite-TV. Nyansapow Hotel

Elmina Transportation

Kweku Annan is an excellent tour guide and driver. He has a very comfortable, new car with air conditioning and a great selection of music. He is always punctual and has a vast knowledge of the history and culture of Ghana. Kweku is an extremely safe driver. Most important, he is a really nice guy. I always learn something new about Ghana whenever...

we had three days absolut reliable taxi and guide service from accra airport, around kakuum, elmina/Cape Coast area and onforwarding to Kumasifriendly guy always in time, helpful and has excellent knowledge about whole Ghanachrisman car rental ltd. kweku annan

Another way to get to Elmina and back, is by Tro-Tro. It's just as cheap and fast, and most of all, it is very Ghanaian. A Tro-Tro is a small mini-bus that works just like a shared taxi: it only departs when it is completely full. In this bus, at least 18 people are packed in, until it is very, very full. It is not comfortable, but a small trip...

Elmina Local Customs

When you are visiting St. George's Castle, you have a big chance of seeing the locals in a conpletely different way. Behind the Castle, at the seaside, you will see quite a few Ghanaian men relaxedly taking a bath in the sea and washing their clothes. Result: they are completely naked!

(Of course) they don't like it when you take pictures of them, but it really is a funny sight to see them wash themselves with soap on the rough rocks of Elmina.

Was this review helpful?

more

Elmina Off The Beaten Path

the beaches around elmina belong to the most beautiful beaches along west africathe waves are mostly quite strong but the landscape with the palmtrees are fascinating..and you are mostly alone enjoying the tranquility..and it is safei stayed at moree beach near to cape coast town

As far as I've seen the Ghanaian coastline, the beach at Elmina is the most beautiful part there is. At the eastside of the town, on the road towards Cape Coast, you'll see the sandy beach, not with white sand but at least with yellowish sand. And all over the place you see a wide line with palmtrees bordering the coastline.Walking around here is...

Right before St. George's Castle you will see the very active and colourful harbour of the town. Boats full of fish come in and out here all day long, decorated with flags and colourful paints. The tradesmen in the streets around the harbour are always noisy and busy with selling and buying their goods, and countless women walk around with their...

Elmina Favorites

Elmina Castle is a popular sight for other african tourists. A large group of Nigerian tourists were in Elmina castle when they discovered a white man (me). Oja-oja, they wanted to take pictures of the strange man.

Load music is heard from a backstreet in Elmina where locals gather to sing and dance. This is some kind of religious thing where people are almost in a trance. And it happens every week. It's all organized by some christian organization.

How cruel history can be....
Elmina has a fort and a castle.
The St George's castle is built by the Portuguese in 1482 and captured by the Dutch in 1637. Till 1872 (then the english took over) the......

Just a few kilometres west from Cape Coast, also in the Central Region, you'll find the town of Elmina. A place with a long colonial history, starting when the Portuguese built a trading base there......

take an impressive tour through the elmina castle..cape coast casle is simular but always worth to visit both
Elmina Castle was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of......